West Valley City, UT Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in West Valley City, UT, also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance, set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Key Facts
- Sprinkler curfew
- 9:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. only
- Controller requirement
- WaterSense smart controller w/ rain shut-off
- Pressure valve trigger
- Required above 80 psi static pressure
- Slope precipitation cap
- 0.85 in/hr on slopes over 33%
- Applies to
- New/rehabbed commercial, multi-unit, reviewed residential
- Enforcing depts.
- Community & Economic Development; Community Preservation
- Appeal window
- 10 days, in writing
Summary
West Valley City bars spray and stream sprinklers on regulated landscaping from running between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. New commercial, industrial and reviewed residential irrigation systems must also carry a WaterSense smart controller with rain shut-off, and a pressure-regulating valve above 80 psi, under Municipal Code Section 7-16-103(4).
(4) Irrigation Design Standards. Irrigation design standards for this Chapter shall be as outlined in the latest version of the "Minimum Standards for Efficient Landscape Irrigation System Design and Installation" prepared by the Utah Irrigation Association. In addition, the following portions of this Section shall also be applicable: a. Pressure Regulation. A pressure regulating valve shall be installed and maintained by the consumer if the static service pressure exceeds 80 pounds per square inch (psi). The pressure-regulating valve shall be located between the meter and the first point of water use... c. Automatic Controller. All irrigation systems shall include a WaterSense labeled smart irrigation controller which automatically adjusts the frequency and/or duration of irrigation events in response to changing weather conditions. All controllers shall be equipped with automatic rain delay or rain shut-off capabilities... j. Valves with spray or stream sprinklers shall be scheduled to operate between 9:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. to reduce water loss from wind and evaporation.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 26-30, passed June 23, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 7-16, the Water Efficient Landscape ordinance, sets the City's irrigation design standards for "all new and rehabilitated Landscaping for public agency projects, private Development projects, developer-installed Landscaping in multi-unit residential projects, and developer-installed Landscaping in single-unit residential projects that require a review process" (Section 7-16-103(1)). 85 inches per hour using drip, bubblers or adjusted-cycle sprinklers to eliminate runoff; and subsection (l) requires secondary or reuse water to be used for irrigation whenever the local water purveyor makes it available. 17-inch reference evapotranspiration rate, must be submitted to and approved by the City and shared with the local retail water purveyor (Section 7-16-103(2), (5)).
All landscape irrigation systems must be installed by an Irrigation Association-certified contractor or under the designer's direct supervision (Section 7-16-103(5)(b)), and the City reserves the right to inspect the system at any point before, during or after installation and to require corrective measures if the chapter's requirements are not met (Section 7-16-103(5)(e)).
Violations & Fines
Title 7 is enforced by the Community and Economic Development Department and the Community Preservation Department, which may pursue enforcement through the Title 10 Administrative Code Enforcement Hearing Program, other City ordinance procedures, or civil or criminal filings, and may pursue more than one remedy at once (Section 7-1-113). Enforcement staff may enter a property to inspect an irrigation system for compliance and, if entry is refused, must obtain a search warrant. A decision may be appealed in writing within 10 days under Section 7-1-114, generally to the Board of Adjustment for staff-level decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run my sprinklers in West Valley City during the day?
Does every West Valley City property have to install a smart controller?
Who approves my irrigation plan before I install sprinklers?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in West Valley City
How West Valley City compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Compare West Valley City to another location·View the Utah landscaping rules overview
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Water Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Salt Lake County handle water restrictions.